How long can you go without a Bed Bug treatment and not know you have an infestation? Quite a while!

As pest pros here in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area we often find folks in serious need of a bed bug treatment who had just realized they might have a problem! Bed bugs are super stealthy and can live in your home, feeding on your blood for months without being found out!H

ow is this possible? In this article I explain how Bed Bugs can go undetected so long, and I’ll give you some pointers on how to find them before your infestation gets out if control!

There’s three main reasons why bed bugs can go extended periods of time without being detected:

Their bite is very light and usually unnoticed.

Their bites leave little to no marks on many people.

They generally are only out and feeding while you are sleeping.

Let’s go through each item and then we’ll look at how we can detect them earlier. So that you can get your bed bug treatment done before your infestation gets really crazy!

Their bite is very light and usually unnoticed.

Many folks who find out they have a bed bug infestation are very surprised that they never felt a bite. I’ve had customers tell me things like “I’d know if I had bed bugs because I’d feel them biting me, right?” Wrong!

While a bed bug is biting you it injects it’s saliva into you which has a numbing agent in it. It will also contain a blood anticoagulant which helps the blood to flow freely out of you, further preventing irritation. In these ways most bed bug bites go completely undetected at the time of the bite. These dudes are stealthy!

Their bites leave little to no marks on many people.

“I would know if I had a bed bug problem because I would have marks where they bit me like other people I know have had. Right?” Nope.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, bed bug bites leave no visible or felt evidence behind on many people, to tell us they’ve been there, ate there, and loved it. (They could at least get on Yelp and let us know what they thought of the service at that bedroom/restaurant!)

Believe it or not it, according to some studies it’s at least 30% of all people that have no reaction to bed bug bites! In the Elderly the number can be as high as three-fourths of folks not having any reaction. Also, how a person commonly reacts to mosquito bites has a direct correlation with if or how severely they will react to bed bug bites. Folks who normally have mild reactions to mosquito bites, usually have little or no reaction to bed bug bites, and vise versa.

They generally are only out and feeding while you are sleeping.

This is the biggest and most obvious reason so many bed bug treatments get delayed for so long. These dudes are stealthy! They hide in the folds, cracks and crevices of your mattress, box spring, and frame waiting to come out under cover of darkness, to feed on you. This can go on for months without any notice from you!

So what can I do to find them before they get out of control?

We recommend periodically checking your box springs, mattress and bed frame every couple of weeks. The life cycle of bed bugs is about 4 weeks to sexual maturity so spotting a few after two weeks would help the treatment be successful faster.

Bed bug treatments vary quite a bit in not only their content, from company to company, but also price. Getting an inspection and estimate is the best first step to take after you initially identify or suspect a bed bug infestation. At NaturZone Pest Control we not only have a method that is unique in it’s effectiveness, but also very unique in that usually require NO PREPARATION by our customers. Not only that, but we can usually give a FULL ONE-YEAR WARRANTY on our bed bug treatments! That is very uncommon in the industry and demonstrates how confident we are in our methods!

Bed Bugs and their feces on a sofa. Some companies would ask you to throw out this sofa as part of the “preparation” for their treatment.

If you’re having a problem with Bed Bugs…or any other pest…or simply a question…call NaturZone Pest Control at 602-476-1088 and ask for me, Jeffrey. I’ll be happy to speak with you anytime.

In Phoenix and Scottsdale Bed Bug Treatment is available that requires NO PREP and is guaranteed for a full year!

How can a Scottsdale Bed Bug Treatment be done without the customer doing any preparation before the service begins? It’s actually quite simple! Every day we get calls from folks expecting a massive task ahead of them because bed bug preparation is usually a lot of work when you ask many other pest control companies or consult the internet.

The vast majority of the preparing that you read about online doesn’t need to be done if the service is done right and a few simple instructions are followed after the treatment is done. And the best part about these instructions is that they are usually not a list of things to do, but rather a few things to not do after the treatment.

I’ll go through a few of the things that are sometimes asked of bed bug customers that we don’t ask of you. Then we’ll look at the service and what you can expect as well as a few things you’ll be asked not to do.

Things we DON’T ask you to do:

Throw out your mattress, box springs, or bed.

Toss out any other furniture.

Throw away any clothing.

Empty and bag your closets and/or dressers.

Move furniture.

Remove outlet covers.

We don’t ask you to do any of these things because when a bed bug control treatment is done correctly, these things are completely unnecessary. Oh, also we won’t ask you to leave at any time during the treatment. We would never do any type of treatment in your home that would require you to leave.

So what do we do? The Phoenix and Scottsdale bed bug treatment is based on isolating your bed from bed bugs and then treating the area with a people and pet friendly pesticide that kills bed bugs. Part of this involves moving the bed a foot or two, but, believe it or not, we’ll actually do that for you! It’s like a little bonus we through in.

When your bed is isolated and the bed bugs are cut off from access to your blood, they wander around aimlessly looking for someone else to eat. When this happens they keep coming in contact with the pesticide and then they die.

Any blood suckers that are in your walls, carpet, dresser, closet , or anywhere else will still smell you and be attracted to you and will not have access to you, but they will get pesticide on them when they try to get to you.

Things to NOT DO after the treatment:

Put your bed back up against the wall.

Let your bed linens touch the floor.

Allow your curtains to touch your bed.

Turn off the lights during occupancy of some rooms.

Get drunk and have “BED BUG BAIT” tattooed to your face!

After a bed bug treatment is done you’ll get a bit of an education from your tech about what was done, how it works, and what you should or should’t do.

We ask folks to sometimes leave the lights on in certain rooms while they are in those rooms to confuse the bedbugs and keep them in the the places where we want them to be. Your tech will let you know which lights it’s a good idea to leave on and for how long after the service you should do that.

We kill the bed bugs living on your bed with mattress encasements and appropriate treatment, and then completely isolate your bed with interceptors during the bed bug control treatment. So it’s super important that your bed remains isolated. This is why you should not move your bed against a wall or curtain, or let other furniture touch it. It’s also important to make sure your sheets, blankets and bed skirts don’t touch the floor.

The best part of this service is that it is guaranteed for an entire year! This means that if you have those nasty, blood-sucking bed bugs come back within a year of the treatment, we’ll come back and do a free treatment. Think of it like having a bed bug insurance policy!

If you’re having a problem with Bed Bugs…or any other pest…or simply a question…call NaturZone Pest Control at 602-476-1088 and ask for me, Jeffrey. I’ll be happy to speak with you anytime.

Till then, thanks for reading!

Here’s to helping YOU live Pest Free,

Jeffrey

Bed Bugs and their feces on a boxspring. Some companies would ask you to throw out this set as part of the “preparation” for their treatment.

Understanding Bed Bugs is the most important part of Bed Bug control treatments!

Bed bug control treatments are always on the minds of pest control companies and their technicians in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area. We are always getting calls from grossed out folks who are looking for answers and treatments for their infested homes. Learning about the bed bug’s life cycle and behavior is an important first step in understanding how to win the battle against them, take your home back, and perhaps restore your sanity.

If you you missed my recent article about the beginning of the bed bug life cycle, Bed Bug Sex, you can read it here. Though it is kinda scary stuff so I won’t be offended if you choose to skip that whole mess.

Where Do Baby Bed Bugs Come From?

After the literally traumatic event that bed bug mating is occurs The female bed bug is ready to lay eggs. She finds a nice cozy spot, usually in a tight crack or crevice that offers protection for her eggs, and drops a bunch. When I say a bunch, I mean A BUNCH! A female bed bug will lay as many as five hundred eggs throughout her lifetime. Folks, my wife has given birth to seven kids and I don’t here the end of it. Just imagine how ticked off these bed bug mamas are!

Bed bug eggs are pearly white and about the size of a pin head. They are found in clusters of anywhere from 30 to 100 eggs. Check out this pic of a cluster we found at the end of a bed frame slat. This bed had about ten of these slats and there was eggs at the end of almost every one of them. That’s a lot of bed bugs!

Bed Bugs go through a life cycle called Gradual Metamorphosis. Gradual Metamorphosis has three stages:

Egg

Nymph (With 5 Sub-Stages)

Adult

Eggs usually take from one to two weeks to hatch under ideal conditions.

Nymphs, or baby bed bugs, must molt between each of the five stages. Molting is the process of shedding the old exoskeleton or skin so that there is room to grow.

These shed skins are part of what pest pros look for when we are doing an initial inspection of a home. They can tell us how old the infestation is, where it is, and how bad or extensive it is.

Nymphs don’t change shape all that much but their color and translucence changes quite a bit. A fresh out of the egg, first stage nymph is not much bigger than the egg it came out of. They are usually off white in color and very translucent, almost clear.

The second through fifth stages are a gradual transformation of getting bigger and darker in color until they are an adult which is about the size and color of an apple seed. This process usually takes about a month with the right temperatures and an adequate food source. Before this is always the best time to do a bed bug control treatment.

Bed bug nymphs and adults group together on mattresses, box springs and bed frames.

What do those cute little baby bed bugs eat?

Just like the mating process requires the adults to have a nice big human blood meal first, bed bug nymphs require a blood meal at each stage of their development. A first stage nymph cannot molt and enter the second stage until it has engorged itself with blood. It’s kinda like how your mom told you you had to eat your vegetables in order to grow up to be big and strong… except the vegetables are YOU!

A bed bug nymph without a human host to feed on will stay at it’s current stage, sometimes for months, until it can eat. This is why the most important part of a good bed bug control treatment is to completely isolate the bed. If they can’t get to you then they can’t grow up to be adults and continue to multiply!

How long does a bed bug live?

After the metamorphosis is complete, about a month from egg to adult if conditions are right, a bed bug will begin the process of feeding and mating for around ten months but sometimes as long as a full year. As insects go that’s a very long life span! That’s 12 months of drinking your blood and laying hundreds of eggs!

If you’re having a problem with Bed Bugs…or any other pest…or simply a question…call NaturZone Pest Control at 602-476-1088 and ask for me, Jeffrey West. I’ll be happy to speak with you anytime.

Till then, thanks for reading!

Here’s to helping YOU live Pest Free,

Jeffrey

PS. Call 602-476-1088 today for a FREE Consultation and FREE 58 Point Pest Analysis of your home or office!

Effective Bed Bug Control relies on knowledge of their development and behavior.

Bed bug control is constantly on the minds of pest control pros in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area. We are always getting called by grossed out folks who are looking for answers and treatments for their infested homes. Learning about the bed bug’s life cycle and behavior is an important first step in understanding how to win the battle against them.

Everything you’ve always wanted to know about bed bug sex but were afraid to ask!

Okay, if I’m Being honest it’s probably:

“Everything you didn’t know you wanted to know about bed bug sex but now that I mention it you’re cautiously interested in learning.”

Still With me? Okay, In this series of posts on Bed Bug control I plan to teach you all about the life cycle of bed bugs. Of course, you can’t start the study of the life cycle of any animal without learning about their mating habits first.

I’m going to do my best to be a grown up about this but just a fair warning: the bed bugs themselves aren’t too grown up, or nice, or civil about it. Trust me, this will get… weird.

Seriously though, bed bugs are already gross enough with the way they feed on your blood and then poop blood stains onto your sheets so it’s really crazy to find out about their less than nice mating rituals. So put the kids to bed, lock up the cat and/or dog, and maybe even your spouse if they get squeamish about some things, and enjoy the read!

The Differences Between the Sexes

Male and female bed bugs are relatively simple to tell apart. Males are more egg shaped, slimmer and longer. Females are rounder, especially toward the rear. If you ever have a reason to memorize the two, just remember “Baby Got Back.” She got them “Egg bearing hips.”

“Courting”

After they have had a nice, filling meal of human blood male bed bugs are ready to mate. Male beg bugs are one of the more frisky critters in the animal kingdom. They aren’t necessarily looking for “Mrs. Right” as much as they are looking for, well any adult bed bug. Luckily for nymphs, or juvenile bed bugs, they produce a pheromone that tells the adult males that they are not a good mating partner. However this seems to be the limit of their “discretion.”

Male bed bugs are pretty much “Down for anything” or anyone. Males will chase down (literally chase down, because the other bed bugs are definitely not interested) any other adult bed bug and forcibly mate with it. Females (and, yes, other males) are resistant to this because of the violent nature of the mating and the damage that it can cause to them.

The Battle of the Sexes

I apologize for this part, but really, this is why you’re here. Right? The female bed bug’s body is not actually designed for easy insemination. So male bed bugs have a sharp, pointy penis that is shaped like a curved hypodermic needle.

The male bed bug mounts the female, finds a weak body segment and jabs his sword-like penis into the females abdomen, ejaculating directly into the female’s (or male’s) body cavity fluid, called hemolymph. This process is called “Traumatic Insemination” by scientists but most ladies call it “not cool!”

The actual act of mating is not pretty for bed bugs.

Understandably, this traumatic insemination can cause serious damage to the female, or male, bed bug that was inseminated. It leaves a hole as well as cracks in the exoskeleton of the female, and can lead to infection and even death in some cases. What’s really scary for the females is that to reproduce at the most efficient rate this must happen several times during her lifetime.

After insemination the sperm travel through the fluid inside the body of the female until they find her ovaries. This is where the eggs are fertilized and.. well if you don’t already know all of this part you probably shouldn’t have been reading this article in the first place.

Well now you’re probably really glad that when Mom and Dad sat you down and gave you “The Talk” all those years ago, that they didn’t tell you about the “Birds and the Bed Bugs!” That could’ve really messed you up!

To me, it is interesting though to see how one gender in a species has such a resistance to mating while the other gender has developed a way around that resistance. Though that way around is pretty nasty! In fact, it’s so nasty that if you have bed bugs you are probably wanting to make sure this kind of activity does NOT go on in your home anymore. Put a stop to it!

If you’re having a problem with Bed Bugs…or any other pest…or simply a question about Bed Bug control or anything else…call NaturZone Pest Control at 602-476-1088 and ask for me, Jeffrey. I’ll be happy to speak with you anytime.

Bed Bug Control requires effective inspections!

Bed Bug control is a huge issue here in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area! One of the most common calls that we get is frantic homeowners finding bedbugs that they didn’t know they had.

Many times when a homeowner first finds bed bugs in their home they have already had them for several weeks or even months already. The reason for this is that bed bug infestations usually start with just a few and then multiply very quickly with an available source of human blood. In as little as 10 weeks a room can go from having only 2 bed bugs to having as many as a thousand! And this problem is compounded by the fact that you usually never see them unless you look for them.

Lots of folks think that they would first notice bed bugs when they see or feel bites. But this is often not the case. A bed bug bite itself leaves no mark. They have a very tiny beak that they use to get to your blood. Some folks have a mild allergic reaction to the saliva left behind which can leave a red, itchy welt on the skin at the site of the bite. But this reaction only happens in a little bit less than half the population leaving most people with no visible evidence of a bite.

So what can you do to find bed bugs in your home before they become a big problem? I’ll outline 5 places where you might find bed bugs hiding in your bed room. Use this as a periodic check or as a way to set yourself at ease when you may have visited an infested friend’s house, a motel, or a movie theater.

Here’s is a quick video with the president of NaturZone Pest Control Bill Stewart on inspection and Bed Bug Control. [embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze6BVl6c7yA[/embedyt]

There are 5 main places to check in a bedroom:

Folds and Seams of Your Mattress

Folds and Crevices of Your Box Spring

Bed-side Tables and Other Furniture Near Bed

Curtains Near or Touching Bed

Cracks and Crevices of Bed Frame

Many people think that the edges of the carpet are an important place to check while doing a bed bug control inspection. While bed bugs will infest the edges of carpeting this usually happens latter in the progression of the infestation so that by that point the problem is already apparent.

Keep in mind that bed bugs will hide anywhere where they have protection from light and movement, especially if that place offers easy access to a human host. So when in doubt, check!

Folds and Seams of Your Mattress

Bed bugs usually will not travel far from their host. This means that sometimes you can find them as close as the folds or under the seams of the mattress. Usually this will be on the underside of the mattress except in cases where the infestation has already progressed quite a bit.

What you are looking for is 4 different things that tell you you have an infestation:

Bed Bugs themselves

Bed Bug Skins from Molting

Pinhead Sized, Pearly White Eggs

Black Spots or Stains (Feces)

Folds and Crevices of Box Spring

The box springs are often the place where we find the most activity. The folds of fabric on the bottom side of the box spring are a perfect spot that offers protection from light and movement. We will often find clusters of eggs along with the blood stains that are the feces of bed bugs and the bugs themselves in these folds.

The plastic or metal bumpers on the corners of the box springs also provide a great place for bed bugs to hide, mate, and lay eggs. And don’t forget the cracks and crevices on the inside of the box springs. Between the wood pieces, cardboard and fabric are all important spots to check.

Curtains

The back side of curtains are a often overlooked spot to check for signs of bed bugs.

The backside of curtains, Especially those that touch a bed, are often a big area of activity. Usually at the top of the curtains around the seams and folds and on the back side you can find signs of bed bugs if you have an infestation.

Bed-side Tables

Underneath or in the cracks and crevices of bed-side tables and other pieces of furniture touching or near the bed will usually provide a good place for bed bugs to hide. Look anywhere that two pieces of wood meet. inside or underneath drawers too.

Cracks and Crevices of Bed Frame

This is also a big one. Depending on the type of frame, it can harbor more of these nasty blood suckers than the box springs. Look in the cracks and crevices, anywhere that two or more pieces of material meet is a potential spot for bed bugs, eggs and other signs.

If you’re having a problem with Bed Bugs…or any other pest…or simply a question about bed bug control or anything else…call NaturZone Pest Control at 602-476-1088 and ask for me, Jeffrey West. I’ll be happy to speak with you anytime.

Till then, thanks for reading!

Here’s to helping YOU live Pest Free,

Jeffrey

PS. Call 602-476-1088 today for a FREE Consultation and FREE 58 Point Pest Analysis of your home or office!

In the Phoenix / Scottsdale area folks are always looking for Natural Pest Control inside their homes! We are always getting calls from folks with active infestations inside their home asking for interior treatments as well as customers who have control of the pests on their property but are wondering if they need the interior treated for prevention. in this article I will go over what a general interior treatment looks like and when you may need it. We will also cover a few of the questions we commonly get about our approach to natural pest control and interior treatments.

When Should I Have The Inside Treated?

There are lots of different situations where a specific type of interior treatment should be done and just a few where a general baseboard spray is appropriate. Here’s some of the top reasons:

It’s your first treatment

You have an active or new infestation

You share a wall like in an apartment or condo (Sometimes)

It’s Your First Treatment!

Though I do have many customers who have never had the inside of their house sprayed, most customers start off with the interior of their home treated at their initial service. This is because when we start a new customer on our regular service plan we want to start with a clean slate. You want the inside of your home to be free of pests as fast as possible and that usually means an interior treatment is needed to clear out any critters that are living in the house.

But for the vast majority of our customers this is the first and last interior treatment they will ever need! Part of our natural pest control approach is to spray inside your home as little as possible. We use products that work but are pet and human friendly. But that doesn’t mean that it’s responsible to use it more often than needed. Even the the most natural pesticides have some degree of toxicity and should be used in a responsible way.

This is why we do a thorough, conscientious treatment outside every time we come. So that you don’t have to be bothered with the interior treatment.

You Have an Active or New Infestation

When you have a lot of a particular critter in your home that is usually a sign that you could use an interior treatment. Though many of these issues can and should be taken care of at the source, outside, sometimes some of the bugs have taken up permanent residence inside your home! This is when it’s great to have a trained, experienced technician inspect the problem and let you know if it’s something that requires an interior treatment or if he can take care of it outside.

Here are a few critters that usually require an interior treatment of some kind.

German roaches usually need some kind of bait treatment done, especially in the bathrooms and kitchen. Sometimes a specialized liquid spray is needed too but rarely is this problem helped with a general baseboard spray. Ants also are usually treated with a bait and a baseboard spray is not helpful.

If there are a few crickets in your home a baseboard treatment is usually just what the doctor ordered! A cricket problem can be cleared up very fast with proper, regular exterior service and a single interior spray.

Bed bugs are of course always treated inside the home. However a baseboard spray is only a part of the treatment, though a very important part. After a bed bug service we always recommend that you get started on our regular service and have the inside sprayed every 6-12 months to keep the product strong. This is because the treatment last for mush longer inside the home where it’s protected from the sun and weather so and interior service is usually only needed at a maximum of every 6 months.

Bed Bug Expert and NaturZone Owner Bill Stewart says;

“I personally do dozens of Bed Bug Treatments every week and I know I am bringing them home with me. It’s unavoidable. But I treat the inside of my home every 9 months. When you do it right, that’s all you need!”

You Share a Wall Like in an Apartment or Condo

Sometimes when you can’t treat the full perimeter of a structure it becomes necessary to do an interior treatment periodically. For example, if you live in an apartment where you have had a German roach problem before, but the neighbors have not been able to get rid of theirs, that’s when it might be a good idea to have an inside treatment done on a regular basis. (Or better yet, tell the management or HOA to contact NaturZone to have the whole building treated!)

The way to tell if you might need this done is to note how many of a particular pest you see, where you see them and when you see them. If you have a persistent issue that the exterior service isn’t taking care of, it may be time for an inside treatment.

If you’re having a problem with pests…or you simply have a question about natural pest control…call NaturZone Pest Control at 602-476-1088 and ask for me, Jeffrey. I’ll be happy to speak with you anytime.

Till then, thanks for reading!

Here’s to helping YOU live Pest Free,

Jeffrey

PS. Call 602-476-1088 today for a FREE Consultation and FREE 58 Point Pest Analysis of your home or office!

In the Phoenix / Scottsdale area pest control techs are constantly dealing with the “Fear Factor.” Some pests just illicit a strong emotional reaction of fear whether they have earned that reaction or not. On this list we’ll take a look at the 5 that seem to bring out the most fear in folks, and at why or why not those fears are justified.

“Scariness” is, of course, a very subjective topic so it makes sense that a lot of folks will have fears of pests that aren’t on the list. Let me know in the comments if you think the list is right or if you’d have put another pest on it instead.

“Honorable” Mention: Sun Spiders

An Arizona Sun spider. It’s Mouth parts are a lot like those of it’s distant cousin, the scorpion, except they lack the “arms” that the scorpion has.

I know it’s kinda like cheating to throw 6 pests onto a “Top 5” list but the Sun Spider doesn’t quite make the list. Not because it isn’t scary, as you can see in the pic these huge dudes are the stuff that nightmares are made of. But My list is partially based on how much fear the pests cause and since many people are unaware of them, Sun Spiders don’t cause as much fear as their nasty looks might make you think they do.

Now on the truth about Sun Spiders. Sun Spiders are a completely harmless, ten-legged cousin of scorpions. They have no tail or stinger and their mouth parts do not deliver anything toxic to humans. However, they can deliver a momentary pain in the form a nasty pinch from those mouth parts which are like a scorpion’s “pincers” except without the arms.

By the way, most pest control techs, including myself, consider Sun Spiders to be beneficial to a more natural approach. They pose no threat to humans, rarely enter homes, and eat most of the other pests in the area where they live. So if you see a sun spider on your property, tell him thanks for eating all the real spiders.

#5: Rats and Mice

Personally I find Rats and mice kinda cute. But they scare the heck out of a lot of people which is why they made the list.

The truth? They have the capability of carrying diseases and other pests, like fleas. Many people know that the “Black Death” or Bubonic Plague of the 1300’s was spread by rats carrying infected fleas. Mice also can carry bacteria and viruses. of course these days that’s less of a worry, but a rat or mouse infestation is still an unhealthy thing to have.

#4: Bed Bugs

Bed Bugs are the scariest for a lot of folks who have lived with an infestation of these nasty little blood suckers. I know 2 people who were actually diagnosed with PTSD from their experiences with bed bugs! It can really mess you up knowing that while you sleep your blood is being eaten by dozens of bugs.

But do they pose an actual danger to humans or is the scariness mostly perception? It makes sense that because they drink human blood that they would be good transmitters of disease, however a simple fact prevents this from being the case. Scientists have found that bacteria and viruses do not survive inside bed bugs for long, so they lack the ability to transmit disease.

It should be said, however that in very extreme cases a really bad bed bug infestation can cause enough blood loss to make a person anemic, and thus give them all the health issues associated with anemia. Either way, a bed bug infestation is not something that anyone wants to live with for long.

#3: Black Widows

Black Widows are probably one of the most recognizable spiders there is.Most folks know that the red hourglass shape on a shiny black spider means danger. But how dangerous are these mean little ladies?

Black Widows rarely bite humans. Not only do you need to disturb them where they live, but scientists have found that you usually need to pinch them so that they feel like they may get crushed, in order to induce a bite. Since they are a spider that waits for their prey to come to them rather than hunt, they are almost always found in their web. so this makes them very easy to avoid.

That being said, their bites are potentially dangerous. Symptoms are usually limited to pain and swelling around the bite, but can include nasea, vomiting, muscle or stomach cramps, very high blood pressure, fever, chills and sweating just to name a few.

While thousands of bites occur in the US each year, most years pass without a death caused by a Black Widow.

#2: Tarantulas

Though at this point most folks know there’s no logical reason to fear tarantulas, they are still giant hairy spiders with huge fangs. I’ll be honest, they scare the crap out of me. But as a pest control tech I consider them beneficial in a more natural approach to pest management.

Tarantulas eat pretty much every pest that I’m trying to kill. and they pose no danger to humans. Usually the only way to get a tarantula to bite you is to apply pressure to its back. Even then, the bite is usually compared to a bee sting with some swelling and itching around the bite. Of course, as with anything that stings or bites, there is the chance of an allergic reaction.

There are no recorded deaths from a tarantula bite. But you couldn’t pay me enough to pick one up!

#1: Scorpions

Scorpions, specifically Arizona Bark Scorpions are my top pick for what scares the hell out of the most people. Seriously, if you live in an area where they live, you know the fear I’m referring to. Just looking at them makes one want to skip a night of sleep. But unfortunately they have actual facts to back up the fear.

While most other scorpions in Arizona have relatively mild stings, the Bark Scorpion packs a punch. I’ve had folks tell me as little as “It felt like a bad bee sting” to as much as “It was the most intense pain imaginable and half my body went numb and tingly for a week.” But that’s just the localized affects.

According to Mayo Clinic:

“Signs and symptoms related to widespread (systemic) venom effects usually occur in children who are stung and may include:

On top of all of that, there’s the chance of an allergic reaction, especially in folks who have been stung before, which can cause anaphylaxis and can sometimes be life-threatening.

But after all the nastyness about the sting and the actual scariness of the scorpion itself, there hasn’t been a death caused by scorpion sting in Arizona for over 40 years. Definitely NOT going to be picking up one of these dudes!

If you’re having a problem with any of these nasties…or simply a question…call NaturZone Pest Control at 602-476-1088 and ask for me, Jeffrey. I’ll be happy to speak with you anytime.

Till then, thanks for reading!

Here’s to helping YOU live Pest Free,

Jeffrey

PS. Call 602-476-1088 today for a FREE Consultation and FREE 58 Point Pest Analysis of your home or office!

Phoenix Bed Bug Treatment is a never-ending task for pest control companies.

One of the main concerns folks have is how much preparation will they need to do for their Phoenix Bed Bug treatment and do we do A, B, or C treatments the way X, Y, or Z company does?

In this article I will give you an overview of how we go about treating a Bedroom for Bed Bugs as well as an explanation of how and why we are able to do a thorough treatment, with an unmatched guarantee, with little to no preparation by the homeowner.

You’ll be able to take control of the situation and exile the little blood suckers from your home!

Our strategy based approach is broken down into these 5 steps:

Inspection

Localized heat treatment

Bed isolation and management

Treatment and encasement of your bed

Appropriate pesticide treatment of your room and home

Notice none of these steps are “Remove everything from your home and bake it in the sun for 12 hours.” or “Nuke the home with the most obnoxious chemicals known to man.” or some of the other crazy treatments out there.

The strategy based approach allows for ease of treatment as well as a much more conservative use of pesticides.

The inspection is very important to any good pest treatment, especially an effective Phoenix Bed Bug treatment. The inspection allows you to know where your heaviest areas of infestation are. It lets you target the areas that need the most treatment and attention.

What do we look for during an inspection? Of course we look for the critters themselves, but we also look for the tiny pearly white eggs as well as the stains from Bed Bug excrement. These stains are basically blood stains since the entire diet of the bed bug is human blood.

Localized Heat Treatment

Far from the expense and preparation required of whole house heat treatments, a localized heat treatment targets the areas where the Bed Bugs live, usually bed frames. Heat treating instantly kills not only the bed bugs themselves, but also their eggs. Localized heat treating is usually done with a handheld heat gun.

The heat gun is a very effective way of treating bed frames, even hard to reach spots.

A bed bug on part of a bed frame that was killed instantly by heat gun treatment.

Bed Isolation and Management

Here you isolate your bed from the rest of the room. Isolating the bed is one of the most important parts of getting control of your bed bug nightmare. The effect is twofold. It prevents the re-infestation of the bed and forces the bed bugs to wander the room looking for a meal, all the while getting the pesticides on them and killing them.

Your bed is isolated by pulling it away from the wall, placing the posts in “interceptors” that Bed Bugs can”t crawl over, and making sure that no linens are touching the floor. This effectively kills the bugs already on the bed and protects your from new ones, which prevents them from multiplying.

Treatment and Encasement of Your Bed

The box springs are usually the biggest target for treatment and encasement, though the mattress is usually treated and encased as well. The folds of fabric on the bottom of the box springs often have bedbugs, eggs and excrement in them. The box springs are treated with a special Bed Bug pesticide and then closed up inside a nylon encasement to kill the bed bugs already on them and to prevent re-infestation.

The mattress is also lightly treated and encased the same way. This prevents the bugs from continuing to make a meal of you and eliminates their potential for multiplying.

Appropriate Pesticide Treatment of Your Room and Home

After all these steps are done the final part of the treatment is to spray a pet and people friendly pesticide in the room and around other areas of the home which have been or could potentially be infested. This treatment is seals the deal.

When bed bugs are isolated from their food source, YOU, they don’t just sit still. They wander the house stupidly and aimlessly searching for food. This is actually a good thing since the more they move around, the more of the pesticide they get on themselves and the faster they die!

This is just a brief overview of an effective Phoenix Bed Bug treatment and I will go into more depth in future posts.

If you’re having a problem with Bed Bugs…or any other pest…or simply a question…call NaturZone Pest Control at 602-476-1088 and ask for me, Jeffrey West. I’ll be happy to speak with you anytime.

Till then, thanks for reading!

Here’s to helping YOU live Pest Free,

Jeffrey

PS. Call 602-476-1088 today for a FREE Consultation and FREE 58 Point Pest Analysis of your home or office!

Bed Bug infestations in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area have been on the increase for the past 10 years. At NatureZone Pest Control, we have performed a bed bug treatment in many homes with various degrees of infestation.

The one in this video is one we will remember for a long time. It was a manufactured home. The owner did not react to bed bug bites (to show bites you have to be allergic to a protein in the bugs saliva). This level of an infestation likely took a year to develop and had long since destroyed the appearance of the furniture.

As you can see in this video basically the bugs had fully taken over the room (and house). Fortunately a simple bed bug treatment strategy and some dedication cleared this all up without any real concerns.

If you have a problem with bed bugs…or any other pest…or simply a question…call NatureZone Pest Control at 602-476-1088 and ask for me, Bill Stewart, president. I’ll be happy to speak with you anytime.

PS. Call today for a FREE Consultation and FREE58 Point Pest Analysis of YOUR home or office!